The following U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent Application are incorporated herein by reference in entirety:
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/573,347, filed Dec. 17, 2014, discloses systems and methods for supporting a propulsion device with respect to a marine vessel. An elastic mount supports the propulsion device with respect to the marine vessel. Increasing an amount of voltage to an electromagnet increases the shear strength of a magnetic fluid in the mount thereby decreasing elasticity of the mount. Decreasing the amount of voltage to the electromagnet decreases the shear strength of the magnetic fluid thereby increasing the elasticity of the mount. A controller adapts the amount of voltage based upon at least one condition of the system.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,113,892 discloses a marine propulsion control system that receives manually input signals from a steering wheel or trim switches and provides the signals to first, second, and third controllers. The controllers cause first, second, and third actuators to move control devices. The actuators can be hydraulic steering actuators or trim plate actuators. Only one of the plurality of controllers requires connection directly to a sensor or switch that provides a position signal because the controllers transmit signals among themselves. These arrangements allow the various positions of the actuated components to vary from one device to the other as a result of calculated positions based on a single signal provided to one of the controllers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,942,711 discloses a method for controlling a marine propulsion trim system under two distinct modes of operation. A first mode operates hydraulic cylinders at a slower speed when the associated marine vessel is being operated at a speed above a predetermined threshold. For example, when the marine propulsion device is under load, such as when the marine vessel is operating on plane, the first mode of operation is used and the trim/tilt cylinders are operated at a slower speed. A second mode of operation is used when the marine propulsion system is being operated below a predetermined threshold. In other words, if the marine vessel is operating at a slow speed, the faster mode of operation is used. Similarly, if the marine vessel is being prepared for transport on a trailer, the very slow or non-existent speed of operation of the engine is used as an indicator which causes the second mode of operation to be employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,709 discloses a calibration procedure that allows an upward maximum limit of tilt to be automatically determined and stored as an operator rotates a marine propulsion device relative to a marine vessel with a particular indication present. That indication can be a grounded circuit point which informs a microprocessor that at calibration procedure is occurring in relation to an upward trim limit. When the ground wire is removed or disconnected from the circuit point, the microprocessor knows that the calibration process is complete. During the rotation of the outboard motor or marine propulsion device in an upward direction, both the angular position of the outboard motor and the direction of change of a signal from a trim sensor are stored.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,530 discloses an engine control strategy for a marine propulsion system that selects a desired idle speed for use during a shift event based on boat speed and engine temperature. In order to change the engine operating speed to the desired idle speed during the shift event, ignition timing is altered and the status of an idle air control valve is changed. These changes to the ignition timing and the idle air control valve are made in order to achieve the desired engine idle speed during the shift event. The idle speed during the shift event is selected so that the impact shock and resulting noise of the shift event can be decreased without causing the engine to stall.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,929,518 discloses a shifting apparatus for a marine propulsion device that incorporates a magnetoelastic elastic sensor which responds to torque exerted on the shift shaft of the gear shift mechanism. The torque on the shift shaft induces stress which changes the magnetic characteristics of the shift shaft material and, in turn, allows the magnetoelastic sensor to provide appropriate output signals representative of the torque exerted on the shift shaft. This allows a microprocessor to respond to the onset of a shifting procedure rather than having to wait for actual physical movement of the components of the shifting device.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,830,492 discloses a two stage damping system for a trim cylinder mount of a marine drive unit. The mounting bushings comprise inner and outer tubes with an elastomeric material disposed between the inner and outer tubes. The elastomeric material is structured to provide a soft rate of stiffness in response to relatively light loads, such as shifting loads, and a harder rate of stiffness in response to higher loads, such as during high thrust loads or wide open throttle operation of a marine vessel. The two rates of stiffness are provided by the appropriate placement of cavities either within the elastomeric material or between the elastomeric material and the inner or outer tubes. Alternatively, two different types of elastomeric material can be used to provide the two rates of stiffness.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,404 discloses a Hall Effect rotational position sensor mounted on a pivotable member of a marine propulsion system. A rotatable portion of the rotational position sensor is attached to a drive structure of the marine propulsion system. Relative movement between the pivotable member, such as a gimbal ring, and the drive structure, such as the outboard drive portion of the marine propulsion system, cause relative movement between the rotatable and stationary portions of the rotational position sensor. As a result, signals can be provided which are representative of the angular position between the drive structure and the pivotable member.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,771 discloses a control system for a marine vessel that incorporates a marine propulsion system that can be attached to a marine vessel and connected in signal communication with a serial communication bus and a controller. A plurality of input devices and output devices are also connected in signal communication with the communication bus and a bus access manager, such as a CAN Kingdom network, is connected in signal communication with the controller to regulate the incorporation of additional devices to the plurality of devices in signal communication with the bus whereby the controller is connected in signal communication with each of the plurality of devices on the communication bus. The input and output devices can each transmit messages to the serial communication bus for receipt by other devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,321 discloses an outboard motor having a pedestal that is attached to a transom of a boat, a motor support platform that is attached to the outboard motor, and a steering mechanism that is attached to both the pedestal and the motor support platform. It comprises a hydraulic tilting mechanism that is attached to the motor support platform and to the outboard motor. The outboard motor is rotatable about a tilt axis relative to both the pedestal and the motor support platform. A hydraulic pump is connected in fluid communication with the hydraulic tilting mechanism to provide pressurized fluid to cause the outboard motor to rotate about its tilting axis. An electric motor is connected in torque transmitting relation with the hydraulic pump. Both the electric motor and the hydraulic pump are disposed within the steering mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,263 discloses a system for a trimmable marine stem drive that shifts the trimmable range on a conventional hydraulic trim system. The system includes an enlarged cylinder anchor pin hole in the drive shaft housing, an anchor pin smaller in size than the enlarged anchor pin hole located in the drive shaft housing, and a movable trim adjustment insert that is inserted into the enlarged anchor pin hole to secure the anchor pin in a fixed position within the enlarged hole. It is preferred that the enlarged anchor pin hole be a substantially horizontal elongated hole, and that the trim adjustment insert be placed rearward of the anchor pin to position the anchor pin in a forward position, or forward of the anchor pin to locate the anchor pin in a rearward position. The invention shifts the trimmable range of the drive, while maintaining vibration isolation characteristics available in conventional hydraulic trim systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,800 discloses a power unit mount that includes a housing in which first and second electrode bodies are suspended and which is filled with a fluid which exhibits a change in viscosity when a voltage is applied there across. The control of the voltage application is determined by a control circuit which is operatively connected to a plurality of sensors which include an engine speed sensor, a road wheel speed sensor, a relative displacement sensor and an absolute displacement sensor. A variant includes a solenoid powered vibration generator which can be energized under predetermined conditions in a manner to improve vibration attenuation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,857 discloses a system for optimizing the operation of a marine drive of the type whose position may be varied with respect to the boat by the operation of separate lift. Trim/tilt means includes an automatic control system which stores preselected drive unit positions for various operating modes and is operative to return the drive unit to any pre-established position by pressing a selected operating mode positioning button. The various operating modes may include cruising, acceleration, trolling and trailering position, any of which may be selectively modified to accommodate changes in both operating or environmental conditions. This system may incorporate other optimization routines and/or automatic engine protection systems to provide virtually complete push button operation for complex marine drive unit positioning mechanisms.